Cristea fondly recalled visits to her studio on the the Devon/Cornwall border, which would involve “lavish meals, large doses of champagne and riveting anecdotes delivered through clouds of cigarette smoke”.

He added: “She was a joy. I loved her to bits and will miss her enormously.”

Ayres’ first solo show was staged in 1957, and she took part in a number of influential exhibitions in the 1950s and ’60s.

She went on to have solo shows at the Serpentine Gallery in London in 1983, the Tate Gallery in 1995, and the Royal Academy of Arts in 1997.

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Image caption
Gillian Ayres in 1962

She had been elected to the Royal Academy in 1987, and 15 of her works are now in the Tate collection.